The Gretch
The Gretch are a interesting race to say the least. They are rather narcissistic, hedonistic, and just plain greedy (although some blame this on the situation of their home world). They have built a massive economic Empire ruled over by the many thousands of clans with Gretch society. Unlike most factions they lack any form of central leadership with some of the clans forming what you could call 'confederacies', but these are far from society changing or ruling functions and most clans act as they please. Biology and Apperance The 'Standard' Gretch looks like a over grown amphibian with two (usually) stocky yet kinda long arms and shot stocky feet and a massive stomach and head. Although when in their tadpole and addolecence stages they tend to be the size of a 'chumby' human teen able to run and move much faster then adults who usually stick to levitating thrones, planaquins, or some sort of stretcher carried by their slaves. They are known to be able to grow tails although they can 'tear' them off with just a mere though and with minimal if any pain. When they are torn off they make a good snack for a Gretch especially when fried, diced, or spiced. Some say this was a old survival instinct, the ability to eat one's tales, others just say Gretch are sadistic monsters. Gretch come in three main breeds all have some sort of common apperance (kinda frog like to the Terran eye) they are as follows: Alom: Alom or 'Mountain Gretch' are the hardiest race of gretch and the most 'muscle bound'. They are part of the few Gretch that in a physical fight could possible put up a fight or atleast get a few punches in. They are a group of crafstmen, stone cutters, and fine masons, but also a thieving and schemer bunch. In the olden days they used to control the mountain passes: not with men, but with fear. They set up all sorts of contraptions that scared passerbyers and at first they just grabed the stuff they dropped, but eventually they came up with a whole fake religion with temples, priests, fake blessing, the whole panopoly. It only took a few centuires for the other Gretch to notice the scam and when that happened no one was scared of their 'toys', well atleast not the old ones. In the modern era they are still the trickster they used to be making comercial toys for others to use on their friends or enemies and then selling all sorts of 'fancy junk' for overinfalted prices. Physically they are like most Gretch: all sorts of colors and patterns. Although they differ to the other breeds by the small 'spkies' on their backs, larger feet that are good for climbing, and tend to be just a bit taller then most Gretch. Hum'a: Hum'a or 'Plains Gretch' are the 'normal' Gretch and by far the most widespread and diverse. Their entire breed is actually dozens of breeds all intertwinned origionally by the 'Rul'xa' (Red Skins) that had one of the largest cities in Ancient Gretch history (before a earth quake took it down, but that's a different story) they beat up, enslaved, and eventually breeded with dozens of different Gretch from the cities and villages they conquered or extorted. After the collapse of their Empire the Hum'a faced some hard issues mainly: what now? Like most Gretch they realised that actual fighting and war is to hard and tiresome. So they became merchants with pretty much all facits of Gretch society. They remain so to this day, but they still have the warrior spirit of their ancestors, just now they use it in back rooms and in negotiations. They let other races do the actual fighting for them. Physically they are the shortest breed, but have the most diversity (due to the dozens of breeds) they have all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, and features. The main being larger body porportions (massive sumo looking guys), claw like hands, and if necessary excrete poision (when not excreting posions they are known to excrete some sort of liquid that's only purpose seemed to be to cool them down and to make them slippery and unenjoyable for the larger preadators on their home world). This posion is rather potent, deadly, and quick. It is used across the galaxy by thugs, politicians, and ex-wives every where. Guku'a: Guka'a or 'Desert Gretch' lived in the caves, riverbeds, and oasis of the massive desertes upon the Gretch homeworld. They mainly practiced selling overpriced water and 'spit' to the merchants and travelers in desperate need of it and sometimes acting as bandits (being one of the few gretch breeds able to ride some sort of animals). Using their trusty Hunab (a weird camal like animal) they ruled the deserts and they had their first taste of speed. In the modern era they are usually colonist on the more 'hostile' worlds the Gretch find or act as pilots, ship builders, and some times racers. Physically they look kinda like a Gekko Fron cross with 'harder' scales on their back with some spikes that used to keep predators from eating them while they sleeped. They also have larger claws then any other breed used for digging seeing as they used to sleep in the dry river beds found throughout the desert. All Gretch (now) are all sorts of colors, patterns, and small features. Although these three breeds are still domiante. All Gretch have some sort of posion ability able to spit it or collect it (bottle it up and what not). They surprisingly have highly adaptable lungs (due to the volcanic nature of their homeworld) and are able to breathe most gases (not comfortable however) their 'perfect' gas is a methane hydrogen mix. HistoryEdit Gretch history is a tale of shaky foundations, shadowy deals, and outright betrayal from time to time, usually committed by the Gretch themselves. Their early history is set upon the world of Brak'ha which translate to roughly 'Desert Jewel' (although this also refers to themselves). It was a world heavily irradiated by it's sun, a dying red giant this lead to the Gretch's home world to be a virtual wasteland with it's oceans once massive and impressive turned into acid like seas (although much smaller then before) and the planet's became destabilized and had frequent natural disasters. In this environment entire cities could simply be whipped out by one freak storm or earth quake and this lead to the Gretch having a philosophy of: Life's short, enjoy it and don't stop enjoying it. The Gretch became a rather greedy race gladly hoarding anything they could and trying out any pleasure they could, if they had the money of course. Their star flight era was not caused by their own invention, but instead by a freak accident where a trade ship, who calculated their void path wrong, crashed into one of the few mountains of Brak'ha. The Gretch quickly amassed their armies and marched to the ship when greeted by survivors they 'played nice' offering them goods, food, and lodging, but when the time was right slaughtered them all. They then spent years attempting to reverse engineer the tech, which eventually they did. Their first issue was finding a proper world to settle upon. What they found (and by they I mean some specific clans) was a tropical world, which they named Troj'ha, inhabited by primitive locals who where humanoid in build and looked almost like terrans save brown skin, red markings, and sets of horns. The Gretch quickly saw a chance and fought a quick and successful war enslaving the entire population and gaining cheap labor to run their factories and to serve their every need. This taste of enslaving other races they loved and continued to do so for the rest of their history. They continued to infest their home galaxy and many others going where ever they could expand. They built a economic and slave Empire gaining many client species as well as clients. They sold anything and everything they could to any customer that would pay. They also ran more 'shady' institutions like casinos, brothels, and slave markets, both out in the open on their own worlds or in select 'dens' built upon others. Government Gretch society and government is organized around the families'clans with all major clans sitting upon the 'council' which is really just a forum for the Gretch familes to make agreements, basic laws, and important announcements. The main families are as follows: Kal'a: Focused on terraforming, farming, and agricultural products Xe: Focused on construction, mining, and refining P'ateen: Focused on ship building, shipping, and protecting trade routes May'a: Focused on research and development Each of these families have agreed to work togther for their common gain (seeing as lots of their businesses can either work well togther or need each other). This does not mean they work in harmony. Plenty of back room dealings, fueds, and a healthy amount of infighting exist. Society Gretch society, as already stated, revolves around families with each family (usually) having a family above them and a host of families below them. The types of familes are as follows: 1. 'Matriarch' family. The one that rules a massive dynasty of families, but may also be subservient to a larger family (4 Grand Matriarchs) 2. 'Close Family'. Direct family entrusted with family secrets, administrative roles, and some other perks. Although they don't receive all of the family secrets. Usually siblings or cousins. 3. 'Connected Family'. Family connected to the others by some marriages, business, or joint operations. Usually treated 'like family', but kept out of the inner circles. 4. 'Customer Family'. Families that have business ties only. Plain and simple. under each family you can have:1. Client Families. Families under the thumb of another usually acting as their 'servants' in a way.2. Lesser Families. Smaller segments of direct family trees usually disgraced or mistrusted sides of the familiesand finally some 'independent' families exist the main two being:1. Middle Families. Families that have long worked as middle men between two families.2. Judge Families. Families used as judges and arbiters between the families to help settle disputes. As one can guess Gretch society revolves around economics with all the 'fighting' and nasty work done by other races. They have always loved to make, hoard, and spend money no matter what. They have focused their energy into economics and buying the rest from other races. Ex: most of their 'best engineers' are aliens on their pay roll.